Archives for February 2016

Southeast Texas is a true melting pot of people, culture, and landscape. You’ve got Houston – the largest city in the south – on the left, the beach on the right, and everything in between – piney woods, countryside, hurricanes, Louisiana influence, old southern customs, chemical plants & refineries, a growing art scene, and so much more!

🌊🌴☀️☔️🎷🏡🚢🌲

The Golden Triangle, as the local residents call it, consists of Beaumont, Port Arthur, and Orange. The “golden” refers to the wealth that came from the Spindletop oil strike near Beaumont in 1901. Not too much further is the beach town of Galveston, which was first settled by Europeans in 1816 and is famous for the devastating hurricane of 1900.

There’s so much to do and see in this often overlooked part of Texas, and what follows are some of my favorite adventures…

For me, Valentine’s Day is all about love…. 💘 Love of chocolate, that is. That’s completely acceptable, right? However, my love of chocolate is quickly being edged out by Dandies Marshmallows. They’re so light and fluffy, made from all natural plant based ingredients and nothing artificial. Plus, the marshmallows are dressed in cute little bow ties on the bag 😂

I took a cue from Black Bottom Cupcakes, which are chocolate cupcakes with a flowing cream cheese center, and decided to use Dandies instead. The result? Moist chocolately cupcakes with a sweet and slightly chewy center, topped with homemade raspberry glaze and a dollop of cream cheese. Oh, and it’s super easy to make, and vegan & gluten free. I mean, it’s crazy that I’m single. Unless, this guy counts as my boyfriend…

Eggplants are my spirit animal ✨🍆 I mean wait… but you get what I’m saying, right? Eggplants are my jam right now, not literally but maybe eggplant jam is an actual thing to look into 😆

I’ve liked eggplant for a while now, but it wasn’t until I lived in Beijing and discovered a dish with white rice, potatoes, and eggplant smothered in a delicious sauce that I realized Hey, eggplants are super cool and a good meat substitute. I should eat them more often. Enter this saucy (literally) recipe for Eggplant Parmesan Casserole. Hearty brown rice, garlic sauteed eggplant slices, savory tomato sauce, and melted vegan cheese all in the form of a comforting and satisfying casserole.

HEY THERE! I’M JILLIAN.

I live along the border of Mexico in the Rio Grande Valley of Texas and create cruelty-free recipes that are delicious! I'm here to show you that it's easy to follow a plant based lifestyle. Not only are the health and beauty benefits noticeable, but it creates a more sustainable planet and keeps our animal friends safe & happy. I also love books, music, dark chocolate, and the great outdoors. LEARN MORE…

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